Alcohol & Drugs: MIP, MIC, Intoxication New roommate sleeping upstairs at house party, furnishing alcohol to minors!?

[Shopeshope]

I recently moved into a new house in a college neighborhood. I came to live here through a craigslist ad and had no envolvement in the planning of a party my new room mates threw last night. Party started at 9:00 I was out with over 21 friends (who can witness for me), drinking in bars legally and arrived home at 1030. I danced for two hours and then went to sleep in my bedroom with my girlfriend and the door locked. apx 2 hours later at 3am the police came into my room claiming to have a warrant, didn't tell me my rights, and sent me downstairs. half asleep, and not sober, and generally unaware of what was happening, i admitted to living in the house. My girlfriend was turned out into the rainy and windy street with no where to go. an hour later i held a ticket for furnishing alchol to minors and for noise disturbance. I did admit to living here to the police once, but i'm on a sublet, my room mates were strangers 3 weeks ago and i'm not on the lease. They also took a piece of mail addressed to me at my last place of residence. My girlfriend waited nearly an hour in the night in the cold and the wind until the police left.
Should i plead not guilty to both charges? I contributed nothing but rent and dancing and friends of legal age to the circumstances i found myself in. Do i get a state appointed lawyer? should I? if so how does that work?

 

[Michael Wechsler]

We don't know what state you are in or the code of the charge which would help us be able to look at the law. Unless the officers have a good explanation, you have an ability to get this summons dismissed easily. You should have your girlfriend in court and, if you have friends who will testify that you were elsewhere, bring them to court as well as witnesses. Then you can nail the cops on the stand who decided to ticket you simply because you were one of the lessors of the apartment. Why would you think of not pleading "not guilty?" It would seem the logical choice.

A lawyer will probably cost you one way or the other but you can inquire and find out the story. At this point it looks like you can easily get this dismissed. Best of luck.